Commander Margaret Walker: A Shark in the Water

[Michael Meir-Wright]

(( Marine Intelligence Office, Deck 12, U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler ))

Taking a seat besides Avander Promontory, Commander Margaret Walker listened as Lieutenant Sh’shelor explained her findings.

Sh’shelor: Each of these people have been connected with various groups that are mercenary or terrorist in nature.

With her fingers, the Marine ran down a long list of ne’er-do-wellers. Some of them- and the “organisations” they belonged to- were already known to Walker from her time as the Department Chief of SFI’s Dominion Affairs Bureau. Now she was in the Gamma Quadrant and not “flying a desk” at Starfleet Command- they all seemed a lot more dangerous.

Sh’shelor: Some of these organisations have been around for some time, but they have been dormant until fairly recently.  Others have been newly formed. In addition, there are a number of transactions that repeat themselves. 

Walker was not surprised by what had been uncovered- and it certainly tracked with SIGINT that SFI had intercepted prior to the establishment of the Flotilla the previous year. It also helped her to fortify her own hypothesis about what was unfolding in this region of space formerly controlled by The Dominion. Intrigued, Walker shifted in her chair and wondered if they were seeing the same thing that she had been.

Walker: What do you make of it? :: she leaned slightly on the right arm rest of the chair and absently stroked her chin with her index finger. :: What is the data telling you?

Promontory: There’s a lot more going on here under the surface. There’s definitely—probably—something more to this, but it will take a bit more work. Honestly, I don’t know if we can get to the bottom of this without some field work.

Catching the Andorian’s eye, Walker thought she saw a flash of uncertainty in her gaze. Whether that was because she had yet to draw a conclusion or was perturbed by her unexpected arrival, the newly anointed Director of Intelligence could not tell. Perhaps it was a combination of the two.

Then as quick as she thought she saw it, the look in Sh’shelor’s eye vanished.

Sh’shelor: It speaks of someone wishing to buy something, or a lot of somethings, without being noticed.  What that is, we don’t know, but considering who is involved, it is suspicious.

Walker had reached the same conclusion, helped along by sh’Shelor’s thorough and well-presented evidence. While the fact that people were moving currency around the quadrant clandestinely was cause for concern and something was eager to stamp out should a threat to operational security become apparent, she also found herself wondering how this fed into the bigger picture. If the situation in the Gamma Quadrant was going to unfold as she had long believed, then what Sh’shelor had uncovered could well end up being a small segment of a much larger- and much more chaotic- tapestry.

Her eyes roved between Sh’shelor to Promontory as she spoke.

Walker: How many people have you shared this with?

Promontory: We’ve looped in the Intel staff on board but haven’t shared it widely with the other intel officers in the flotilla.

Sh’shelor: It is only recently noticed.

Walker nodded her understanding and felt a wave of fatigue wash over her. The journey to the Gamma Quadrant aboard ‘Oumuamua has been a long one and she had forgone sleep the previous evening while reviewing the crew manifest of the Octavia E. Butler and the current geo-political situation of the Gamma Quadrant. She knew there were other Intelligence operatives in the Task Force but the tiredness had led her to temporarily forget the names.

Walker: Remind me of SFI’s current operational assets in this region. :: she looked to Promontory for clarity. ::

Promontory: There’s one each on the Vulcana Regar, the Phoebe, and the Joseph M'Benga, they’re all here in system, I’m sure you know. (beat) And we’ve been holding weekly holo-meetings with the rest.

Sh’shelor: This information is new.  Perhaps others have noticed it and we can inquire at the meeting.

The Director of Intelligence bobbed her head in agreement, rapidly finding Sh’shelor to be an insightful and sharply focused officer. She’s likely to be a helpful asset, she thought to hersel,  A little inter-departmental co-operation will be good for everybody.

Promontory: Response.

Sh’shelor: It is not enough to act upon.  We must gather more information, but…

The Andorian marine trailed off and her antenna began to shift, as if  was unsure once again. Not one who liked to be left hanging, Walker decided to help her along.

Walker: But…?

Promontory: Response.

Sh’shelor: It is like a Vok.

Walker blinked and tilted her head in confusion. It was a term that she was wholly unfamiliar with, but one that was clearly considered dangerous if the inference was correct.

Walker: I beg your pardon?

Promontory: Response.

There was a moment of hesitation before Sh’shelor spoke again.

Sh’shelor: On Andoria, they are large sea creatures with mighty jaws, very dangerous.  Apex predators, I think, is the term.  They will eat you.

Walker shifted in her chair  once again as she fixed Commander Promontory with a knowing look. She might not have heard of a Vok before, but she suspected that Earth had an equivalent.

Walker: Sharks.

Promontory: Response.

Walker: Of course, the question is what are they circling- and what do they want to do with it if they get it.

She knew she was mixing up the metaphors, but it seemed appropriate.

Promontory / Sh’shelor: Response.

Walker: These organisations and individuals are undoubtedly planning for something- and they’ve been doing it since before the Flotilla was assigned here. 

Promontory / Sh’shelor: Response.

Walker hesitated, once again looking between the two Intelligence officers. She had her suspicions- and the weight of history- but that was not nearly enough to go off. Still, she could not act alone. She sat back in the chair and decided to take the plunge, so to speak.

Walker: History tells us that whenever a great empire falls into ruin, there will be a number of rump states that try to carry on its legacy: Soissons, Rum, Qara Khitai, the Romulan Free State… the United Dominion of Planets. :: beat :: They never last and they always fall. The UDP is no different- and I think the sharks are circling, ready to swoop in and fill the power vacuum.

Promontory / Sh’shelor: Response.

—

Commander Margaret Walker

Incoming Director Intelligence

Gamma Flotilla Expeditionary Task Force

assigned to:

USS Octavia E. Butler

C239203TW0